The Quintet in G minor, Op. 39, comes from Prokofiev's most radical creative phase, featuring crude dissonances, sharp contrasts, bitter harmonies, and motor rhythms.
Composer Biography
Sergei Prokofiev's biography reveals a complex figure, ranging from a self-confident innovator in his youth to a national composer seemingly serving Stalinism.
Composer's Artistic Vision
A unifying element in Prokofiev's diverse output is a lack of seriousness, or as he put it, 'joking, laughter and ridicule,' which he used to provoke traditionalists.
Composition History
Prokofiev's Quintet in G minor, Op. 39, was originally created as music for a ballet titled 'Trapeze,' commissioned by Boris Romanov, the second choreographer of the Ballets Russes.
Performer Biography
The Ludwig Chamber Players are an ensemble of award-winning soloists from Japan, Latvia, France, Switzerland, and Germany, who are also principal players in major orchestras.
Composition History
The Overture on Hebrew Themes, Op. 34, was commissioned by the Zimro ensemble, a group of six graduates from the St. Petersburg Conservatory, and was a success with the American public.
Composer Biography
From 1947 until his death, Prokofiev developed a creative and friendly relationship with the cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, 36 years his junior, which led to his late works for cello.
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